Mini writeup - Scotland

[ajb]

Some may remember I pranged my bike in early July (https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=178250) before I was due to go to Scotland. Well, it got repaired by my insurer and I was away to Scotland.

Firstday - was the ride up and we (myself and jonnyt) got completely soaked and it was very much a miserable haul for the last 100miles until we made it, but we did feel a sense of achievement that we had made it.

Second day - we went to Loch Ness and jonnyt got a puncture, luckily some foreign bikers spotted it about 5seconds before we were setting off home, we crawled to Inverness, only to arrive to find no bike dealer or tyre places able todo bike tyres (it was now gone 5pm).

So the AA put us both up in a hotel til the next day to get the tyres done at a dealer (cred to the AA). Weather was predominately rain with some sun.

Third day - Two new tyres (he wanted new set anyway) and we were away, weather was fair, but things were looking up.

https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009%5C08%5C04%5Cbikepics-1745351-800.jpg

CRASH! Was quite wet and rainy in parts and on one of those I lowsided after locking the front wheel, i slid down the road a bit and my bike slid under the back of a car. I only tweaked the front brake to shave some speed (around 20-25mph at the time) but didn't use any rear brake to my demise. jonnyt skidded to a halt behind. I dont know how far the bike slid down the road, but 12metres or so seems close, I slid less, with scraps on my gear on the thigh, knee, shoulder and side of my helmet/visor (I was uninjured which is a plus).

https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009%5C08%5C04%5Cbikepics-1745341-800.jpg

Crash bung was snapped clean off (wtf?!), bent front brake lever, exhaust acted as another crash protector and both indicators snapped out of the cowl, mudguard snapped both sides, RHS fairing scraped and front cowl cracked, worst of all front left disc was bent on impact which made the front brake only work after pumping the lever. 60mile ride back with only a rear brake.

https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009%5C08%5C04%5Cbikepics-1745344-800.jpg

https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009%5C08%5C04%5Cbikepics-1745346-800.jpg

Forth day - phoned around at possibility of replacement disc(s) and pads but it was looking unlikely as it was now Friday and we were due to leave on Sunday. Things were looking even worse.

Fifth day - Cue my dad with glue, block of wood and a hammer (lol). Indicators were back on, mudguard zip-tied on and disc was straighted as much as possible(!). Voila ! brakes were working again and the bike was road worthy. (shame we didn't think of this the day before)

Disc rubbed a little on the pads but was not causing any heat issues.

Sixth day - 400mile ride back to Manchester (with the remaining 250miles the next day) and everything worked fine, at each stop the front left disc was slightly warmer than the right, but no noticable decrease in braking performance or fuel economy.

It got me the 650miles home which was all that mattered at the time.

https://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009%5C08%5C04%5Cbikepics-1745370-800.jpg

Overall, it rained everyday and everything out of our control conspired against us. Just as it was looking up and glimmers of what I had hoped for came through, it went bad and kicked us in the balls. An experience, but it hasn't left me with a passion to do it again as I was hopeing
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CBR125R '05 > CB500 '00 > CBR600F '99

[Phoenix]

Bad luck, were you riding bolt upright when you lost the front or cornering? Have to be careful using the front with any real meaning when it's wet as if your front wheel hits anything slippery/oily it doesn't take much to lock up, you can usually save it if you're only braking lightly and release it immediately, as you say back evens it out by taking weight off the front making it less likely to happen.


The crash bung you had appears to be the fairing bracket mount ones, they cause more damage than they save as they bend or snap off and shatter the fairings or even dent the frame, use engine mount ones or none at all

[Skudd]

Not having much luck keeping things sunny side up.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Sir Black Pig]

Bit late up on this one but - Next time you consider venturing north to God's own country - stick your head in the Scottish section, there is a raft of people in there. Who would have given you contact numbers, for use in such eventualities.

Ah well, maybe next time.